Gateway router and method for application-aware automatic network selection

Abstract

An Application-Aware Automatic Network Selection (ANS) router and method for automatic network selection, translation of data between networks, and application-specific feedback. In one embodiment, the router and method select between an Internet Protocol (IP) network and a Delay Tolerant Networking (DTN) network, monitoring the state of both networks, intercepting IP packets which could otherwise not be delivered, responding to the application that sent the packet, and translating a group of such packets into a DTN bundle; the software implementing this system resides on a network router that functions as a node on both the IP and DTN networks. In other embodiments, the system and method select between or among mobile ad hoc networks, sensor networks, vehicular networks, and satellite and deep space networks.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 760,304 filed Feb. 4, 2013, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates generally to network routers.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Networks which are prone to experience disruptions are commonly referred to as Challenged Networks. The standard suite of Internet protocols assume that a stable end-to-end (E2E) path exists, that the maximum round trip time is not excessive, and that the packet drop probability is small. Networks that do not have these properties can be generally categorized as: highly-mobile networks, exotic media networks, military ad hoc networks and sensor networks.[0006]Highly-mobile networks, at best, experience frequent route changes. They can also become partitioned unexpectedly, and in some cases an E2E path may never exis...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]Embodiments in accordance with the invention integrate multiple networks in a seamless, application-aware fashion. In one embodiment traditional IP networks are integrated with DTN networks in a single device, herein termed the Application-aware Automatic Network Selection (ANS) gateway router device. The ANS router permits an increase the utility of both types of networks and improves the performance of data delivery. The single device ANS router incorporates state-of-the-art IP and DTN routing technologies, both of which are configured automatically by an ANS gateway method, which in one embodiment, is embodied as software code executable by a computer in the ANS router. The ANS router performs: monitoring the state of IP network connectivity; context-aware selection of the better network (IP or DTN) to deliver data; automated configuration / control of IP routing behavior; self-discovery of peer gateways connected to a DTN network; translation of IP packets to DTN bundle payloads; translation of DTN bundle payloads to IP packets; manipulation of application connections to prevent timeouts; and, informing applications directly of current network conditions.

Problems solved by technology

Networks using these kinds of links can experience very high round-trip times (RTTs), or outages due to environmental conditions.

Military ad hoc networks are typically required to operate under hostile conditions in which enemy jamming can cause interruption, and the threat of eavesdropping may trigger periods of radio silence.

Sensor networks often have very limited resources in terms of power and transceiver range.

This can result in frequent link disruptions as well networks that are subject to partitioning.

Interplanetary Networking (IPN) presents environmental challenges that are orders of magnitude larger than those found in terrestrial networks due to the speed-of-light delay.

Because it is only designed for dedicated point-to-point links LTP does not handle congestion or routing issues.

The downside is that retrofitting a network designed around IP-based protocols to use another network layer is difficult and costly.

Images